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Garcia roughed up in Cactus League debut

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Padres fall to Mariners, 8-3 2:13

Outfielder Cameron Maybin and catcher Yasmani Grandal drove in runs in their Padres spring debuts, but the Padres fall to the Mariners, 8-3

By Greg Johns

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Mariners right fielder Raul Ibanez hit a three-run home run off former teammate Freddy Garcia in the first inning on Sunday as the Mariners rolled to an 8-3 victory over the Padres in Cactus League play.

Garcia, 36, is trying to win a rotation berth with the Padres as a non-roster invitee, but got off to a rough start in his first spring outing as the Mariners pieced together five straight hits to open the game, including Ibanez's long ball and doubles by Michael Morse and Michael Saunders.

Garcia, who made his Major League debut with the Mariners in 1999 when Ibanez was in his first stint with Seattle, gave up five runs (four earned) on five hits and also hit a batter as he needed 34 pitches to get through his one inning.

Ibanez, who also played with Garcia last year with the Yankees, went 2-for-3 as he notched his first hits since signing a one-year deal with Seattle as a free agent.

"With him, he throws so many different pitches and he's got a great forkball/split thing," said Ibanez of Garcia. "I thought he might throw it there, but he didn't, and I was able to get the fat part of the bat on it."

Third baseman Kyle Seager and second baseman Robert Andino also went 2-for-3 with a run scored for Seattle, which improved its Cactus League record to 2-1, all three games against the Padres.

Vinnie Catricala started at first base for the Mariners and was hit by pitches his first two at-bats and then laced an RBI double in the fifth inning.

Young right-hander Erasmo Ramirez made his first start of the spring for Seattle, throwing one inning of one-hit ball -- a single by Chase Headley in his first Cactus League at-bat -- as he threw 15 pitches.

Left-hander James Paxton, one of the Mariners' top prospects, also gave up a lone single in his one inning of work in the second. Closer Tom Wilhelmsen saw his first action, as well, with a hitless third in which he gave up a walk and struck out one while hitting 95-96 mph on the radar gun.

San Diego reliever Fautino De Los Santos, claimed off waivers earlier this month from the Brewers, struck out three and allowed one hit over two scoreless innings of relief. De Los Santos is trying to win a job in the Padres' bullpen, though that will be difficult with the returning personnel.

Center fielder Cameron Maybin, limited this week by a sore right wrist, drove in the Padres' first run with a single in the fourth off Charlie Furbush in his initial appearance of the spring. Second baseman Logan Forsythe, slowed by a sore knee, made his debut as well and went 0-for-3.

Right-hander Casey Kelly, one of the Padres' top prospects, gave up three runs and seven hits in 1 2/3 innings, including three doubles in the fifth when the Mariners broke things open.

Padres up next: Edinson Volquez gets the start at 12:05 p.m. PT on Monday against the Brewers in Maryvale. Volquez, projected to be the No. 2 pitcher in the rotation, will make two starts for the Padres before joining the Dominican Republic team for the World Baseball Classic. Promising left-hander Robbie Erlin, who is one of several candidate in camp trying to land a spot in the rotation, will follow. Erlin was one of two pitchers obtained in July 2011 from the Rangers in the deal that sent reliever Mike Adams to Texas. Volquez and Erlin are each expected to go two innings.